A Bridget Over Troubled Waters
by CSIFanRider
Summary: It was just suppose to be a simple 'vacation' for Adam and Emi in Vegas, but boy were they wrong. When Adam get's some news concerning his family, their worlds collide with Bridget Graves as she helps them cross the murky waters of life. In times like this, people need all the help they can get. {Co-written with MotherHeninFlorida}
1. Chapter 1

It was like any other day in the city of Las Vegas; blistering hot. I've been out in Nevada for years now, and the heat still gets's to me every single time. In order to try and battle the heat, The AC in the SUV was cranked up to it's highest setting. I may be able to freeze water in my car at the moment, but it's better than sweating five pounds off.

I took to cruising down the road at a slow pace. It wasn't often that I got to slow down, and enjoy the sights. Being a CSI is harder than it looks ok? The grueling hours make it hard for you to have a social life, let alone any sort of life. Not to mention it's hard to keep any sort of relationship outside of work. I was able to do that, but you know he left for San Diego and we mutually parted. I'm not holding a grudge, he did it to move up in his career path. I can't blame him, I would have done the same thing. You really get the chance to bond with your co-workers, though, which I guess is a good thing when you're finding out whether someone's fate is life or death.

My train of thought was lost when my cell started chirping in its hands-free stand mounted onto my dashboard. I didn't take my hands off the road as I answered the call, and instantly put it on speaker phone.

"You got Graves here.." I spoke rather loudly, in an effort to in order overpower the AC.

"I may be getting older Bridget but I can still hear." I heard Brass on the other end.

"You sure about that?" A smirk had appeared on my face. I went to hide it when I realized that he couldn't see me. "Whatcha got for me?"

" An unknown male subject was caught trying to skim poker chips off of one of the tables at the Palms Casino. The guy who the chips belonged to called him out on it. Two of them made a big scene, causing a mess before security took the two of them out. The guy wants to press charges." Of course, he is. Then again, who wouldn't? If some jerkoff was stealing from me, I'd do more than just press charges.

"The officers won't be on scene for awhile, can you read the guy his rights?" I quickly agreed that I would, then asked for a description of the guy.

"Not much to go on here, just the fact that the guy has 'intense blue eyes with brown hair'"

"Oh, that gives me so much to go on!" I said to Brass sarcastically.

"How do you think I feel? Look, I'll meet you on the scene." With a very curt goodbye, Brass hung up. Well, it looks like my scenic tour has just ended.

I pulled up to the Palms Casino and Resort. The sun and the heat showed no sign of letting up, so I stashed a bottle of water in my Kit just in case. Getting out of the car, I slid my sunglasses up on my face and made my way towards the front entrance. As I opened the door, I was greeted by a security guard. Without saying a word, he began to lead me to where I assume the suspect was currently being held. The two of us made our way through countless halls with marble flooring before we stopped outside a security office right outside the main floor of the casino.

"The guy's in there, keep the door open." I felt as if the guard was a straight-laced kind of guy, so I didn't push it. Swinging the door open to the security office, it went from glamorous to small and dingy. I've seen my share of grimy places, but this takes the cake. I focused my attention off of the room, and onto the subject. Brass' description was right despite his vagueness. A pair of bright blue eyes looked up at me as an almost slightly aggressive tone hid behind them. The brown hair Brass had mentioned early was close cut to his head, except towards his forehead it seemed it be a tad longer. I don't know what it was, but I feel like I've seen this guy before. Who am I kidding? This is Vegas, I could have seen him a thousand different places.

Clearing my throat, I slid my sunglasses off my face and placed on top of my head. "You are not being arrested at this current time, but I'm going to you read you your rights. You have the right to remain silent, anything you do or say will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?" The guy nodded his head but again seemed to hold some sort of emotion behind his eyes that I was unable to detect. I knew that this day was going to be particularly long.

# # # # # # # #

Emi was practically dancing down the disembarkation ramp and all Adam could do was look at her and smile.

"I feel so good!"

"Do you really?" Adam asked hopefully.

"God yes! No aches. No pains. No pinches. I can feel all the fingers on both hands. And the only reason I'm stiff is because …"

Adam quickly reached down and kissed her. When she could draw breath again she said, "What was that for?"

"The reason you were stiff was coming up fast behind us," he said with a chuckle. "Just thought I let him get going before we start complaining."

"Oh," she said looking around. "Well if he, Mr. Defensive Tackle, had bought a First Class seat like he meant to then he probably wouldn't have needed to be levered out of the one he had by you and two of the stewardesses, and the guy on the other side of the aisle. People that large need their own timezone or something." Emi snuggled under Adam's arm. "Thanks for asking me to come along. I've never been on a real vacation before."

Adam shook his head. "I can't believe … well, I can but we are definitely going to have to do something about that. I might not be able to pull off much but we can, at least, swing a few days Upstate camping out or maybe a weekend at the beach over the summer."

"Seriously?! We can … you … you'd take me …" She wound up high then squeezed him in a hug so tight that he was the one fighting for breath.

"It's not that big of a deal Emi," Adam said embarrassed he hadn't thought of it sooner.

"It is too a big deal. I …" They exited the ramp into an airside terminal with a glass wall that faced Las Vegas and Emi completely forgot what she had been going to say. "Whoa. Oh my gosh … that building really does look like a pyramid."

Adam was doing his own gawking before remembering Mac's admonition to stay situationally aware. He changed his computer bag so that it rested across his shoulders and between him and Emi as they walked towards the panoramic view. He subtly helped Emi to shift her backpack so that it was more secure and he checked to make sure the flaps were snapped tightly closed as well. He kissed the top of her head but said regretfully, "We gotta go pick up the luggage then see if we can get space on the hotel shuttle. I want us to get checked in and changed for that meet and greet thing I have to attend before the conference starts."

Emi jumped, feeling guilty that she was acting like a kid when Adam was here to work. She wasn't even sure how much time they'd be able to spend together as he was in Vegas to attend a tech conference in hopes of getting the opportunity to beta test some new lab equipment.

"Yeah. I've still got the sandwiches in my pack so at least you'll get something to eat. I can't believe the flight was two hours late."

"I want to take you to dinner."

"We'll save dinner for tomorrow like we planned."

"Emi …" Adam stopped on a sigh. "You're going to start with the budget thing again aren't you."

"Yes I am," she replied firmly. "When you asked me to come I didn't realize how expensive everything was going to be. You have to turn the receipts in when we get back. Half your meals are covered in your registration fee but mine need …"

"Emi …"

"Nope," Emi said blithely. "I refuse to waste money."

"Argh!" Adam complained … only he wasn't really complaining, it was more like a game he intended on winning in the end. "Let's just get to the hotel. I need to call in and let them know we arrived."

# # # # # # # #

Surprisingly for the crime that took place, it took almost three hours to process the scene and collect all the evidence. When Brass had said the two of them made a mess, I was expecting something on a small scale, not this! Poker chips were scattered everywhere; on the floor, the seats, and some on the table. One of the chairs was knocked over. When I asked the guy who almost had his chips skimmed from which one's were his, he muttered "Does it look like I know?" before the man passed out in a drunken mess. The people in Vegas never cease to amaze me in this city. In the end, I collected the chips that were mainly on the floor, which was about 75% of them.

Anyways, after that whole fiasco was done and over with, I headed over to the PD to begin interrogation on our mystery man. Brass offered to sit in on the interrogation with me. I agreed, due to the fact that I didn't trust this guy. There was something that he was planning, and I wasn't quite sure I wanted to know what it was. I arrived at the PD in no time at all and immediately made my way towards the interrogation room. In case you haven't noticed this already when it comes to my work, I waste no time.

When I entered the room, the suspect's eyes instantly fell on me. There was a harsh, yet playful look in them. It's as if he was trying to charm me, yet remain the alpha male. Avoiding his glance at all costs, I sat down at the table. I only looked at him when I began the questioning.

"Can I have your name for the record sir?" I asked the man. No one had gotten his name yet, and he refused to give his fingerprints to both Brass and the officers. All the man did was nod his head no. God, do I hate it when they become difficult.

"Alright then, well I'd tell you what your being accused of but I have a feeling you already know." A slow smirk slid its way up onto the guys face. Why do I have a feeling this is the only reaction I'm going to get out of him. As I looked at his smirk, something inside of me clicked. I knew him from work! Yes, he was a suspect in one of my first cases after I came to Nevada. What it was for, and who his name was, is what I couldn't remember.

"I'll be right back. Gives you some to think how to defend yourself." Without another word, I stood up from the table and abruptly left the room. With an officer now standing outside the room to make sure nothing happened, I walked down the hall. Truth to be told I needed the minute to come up with a plan. How am I going to question a suspect who won't speak?

# # # # # # # #

Emi was all but hanging out of the hotel shuttle's window with her mouth opened in a small 'o' as she stared at the diverse architecture of the hotels and casinos along The Strip. The driver said, "Sir? Can you get her to stay in her seat? She's cute and all but I'd like to keep my job."

Adam gave the smarmy driver an irritated look when he realized he was looking at Emi's rear end. Yeah, it was cute but it was his. He grabbed her hips and gently pulled her back down. "We'll go out after the Meet and Greet. OK?"

"Oh no, we won't, you'll be exhausted. You worked a double and were supposed to sleep on the plane."

"Little coffee and I'll be fine. Then we can hit The Strip and see the sights."

Emi gave Adam a mischievous look before muttering for his ears only, "You mean aren't going to stay in the hotel so you can ravish me at the first opportunity? I thought what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. We can forget all about those silly ol' ground …"

Alarmed Adam said, "Oh no we won't. Now behave."

"You sure?" Emi asked giving a little giggle and then a hiccup.

Adam groaned. "What did you drink?"

"It was just a sip of the rum and coke you had on the plane. I was thirsty after the Brick Wall knocked over that itty bitty cup of water they'd given me to wash down that itty bitty bag of pretzels. I thought it was just coke … but there was rum in it." Hiccup

"How big of a sip."

"Ummmmm …" Emi took thumb and forefinger and made a pinch and then widened the fingers a bit before hiccupping again.

Adam tried not to laugh as he said, "Looks like we both need some coffee. Now no more wiggling; it gives me ideas I don't need to have. The next stop is ours."

# # # # # # # # #

I walked back into the interrogation with nothing new other than the fact I knew I was screwed in the fact that he won't talk to me. Let's face it, I didn't come up with any idea. They haven't officially booked him so he didn't have to give up his fingerprints to us. The judge won't give us a warrant for it, cause let's face it, I wouldn't give a warrant just for a set of prints because the guy wouldn't comply.

When I sat back down at the table, the suspect's eyes instantly landed on me. He didn't say anything, but he did raise a dark eyebrow up.

"Well, I'm not going to waste my time here. If you're not going to talk, you're not going to." The man lowered his eyebrow just as a smile lit up his face. I hid mine as I knew I wasn't finished yet. "But you are going to be charged, so you get one phone call. I would suggest it'd be your lawyer." The alarm on the man's face suddenly rose a level or two. As if to try and hide the fact that he was alarmed, a smirk slid onto his face. I watched as the suspect crossed his arms over his chest, his legs now easily spreading out underneath the table.

I couldn't stop myself from asking the next question. "Take it you know who you're going to call?" For the first time, the man opened his mouth and spoke up.

"Call's not to my lawyer. My brother, he's, well a male version of you, except in New York. Figured I'd call him up since he's actually good for something for once in his life." The man's voice was deep as it was obvious by the underlying tone in his voice that he did not like his brother at all. Hey, it wasn't my problem to get mixed up in the suspect's family life, I just put them behind bars.

Clearing my throat, I stood up from the table again, this time leaving for good. "I'll have an officer escort you to the phones." Again, I left him speechless as I made my way out of the room. The thought of, oh crap hit me as I left the room. His brother's a crime scene investigator. He's going to try and pull some strings to get himself out of here when he knows he's guilty.


	2. Chapter 2

As promised, Adam had gotten the coffee pot started as soon as they entered the hotel suite and Emi was sipping on the piping hot mocha java while she explored the room. The Aria Hotel … she couldn't believe it. The brochure citing 150,000 square foot casino, 15 on-site restaurants, entertainment, numerous pools, spas, etc and etc didn't prepare her for the reality. Their corner view from the floor to ceiling windows overlooking The Strip was beyond amazing. The décor made her wonder if there was a way on their budget if they could duplicate at least some of it. And she hadn't even done much more than stand a few feet in the room.

Maybe she was being a little silly but she was almost sick with excitement. New York City hotels were great and all – not that she'd been a guest at any of them – but they had nothing on the hotels of Vegas. Holy smokes! In the normal scheme of things she doubted that she and Adam would have ever paid for a hotel room this expensive and nice but they'd gotten a discount because the conference was in the Aria's meeting rooms. Emi looked at her beat up suitcase – the same one she'd used to pack up and leave foster care so long ago – and cringed at how out of place it looked in such a fancy room.

A hiccup told Emi that she needed to keep sipping the coffee in her hand but she couldn't resist sneaking a peak in the bathroom when Adam came out after taking a quick shower. He looked a little shell-shocked. "The water was just … just hot. You turn on the tap and there is no waiting, no rattle … just piping hot water pouring out. And the shower head … man we have got to get one of those. Why don't you try it Babe?"

As Emi looked she had to laugh. "Is that a bathtub or a swimming pool?"

Adams phone rang and she reached over to get it from the dresser top. "Uh … Vegas area code?"

"Yeah. The welcome desk was supposed to call when my name tag and pass were ready. Toss it here and I'll take care of that while you do your thing."

Emi did and then grabbed some clothes before heading to take her own shower. She'd waxed yesterday before leaving NYC so that was at least one thing she didn't have to worry about while she was in Vegas. Vegas and porcupine legs just didn't seem to go in the same area code. She had planned to cut her hair as well but Adam had pitched such an unexpected fit that she just shrugged it off. Men could be so weird about things like hair. For instance, she'd accidently gotten a piece of duct tape stuck to his chest … she still couldn't figure out how it happened except that they had been wrestling around while unboxing his stuff to put it down in the "man cave". She'd just reached up and pulled it off, only a goodly chunk of his chest rug came off with it. Ugh, Adam had been jumping around trying not to scream like a girl and then complained he was nude … just because that one square was a little bare of hair. Yep, guys could be really weird about hair. Emi had tried to tell him he had plenty of fur left but he'd just looked at her. He'd gotten over it but it had taken a whole plate of cookies.

Climbing out of the shower, and OMG Adam was right about the hot water, Emi looked at the dress she'd chosen. Never before had she especially cared how she looked. Strike that, she cared just not always enough to do much about it. Her go-to outfit was a t-shirt, canvas cargo pants ('cause pockets just did it for her for some reason), and a pair of Crocs or Skechers shoes. Hair style was a braid and the only reason she'd ever found for wearing makeup was to hide a bruise or zit. That just wasn't going to work this time. She'd actually suffered through a couple of hours of shopping trying to find pieces of new wardrobe that were interchangeable so she'd have multiple looks with as few items as possible.

For tonight she decided to wear a black skirt, green shell top, a chunky black and green necklace and earring set, and black heels. She'd wear her braid like a crown and call it done. Adam has known all along she's not a clothes horse and he's the only one she would want to impress anyway. She just didn't want to embarrass him either. She looked down at the little make up clutch and rolled her eyes. She hated putting on the war paint but on the other hand when she didn't wear it people made the mistake of thinking she was a kid.

She turned the vent off in the bathroom and realized that whoever Adam was on the phone with, it wasn't a happy conversation. She grabbed her shoes, opened the door, took one step out of the bathroom and was suddenly less irritated with her lack of height as it didn't take all that much ducking to miss the cell phone that came flying straight at her.

"Oh my God! Emi?! I didn't hit you did I? Tell me I didn't!" He vaulted across the bed and started checking her over.

"Uh yeah … still in one piece. Hey, watch those hands buddy unless you want me to have naughty ideas and make you late to the Meet and Greet."

Adam grabbed her and her nose was suddenly smushed against a button on his dress shirt. "Uh … less squeeze, more hug."

"Oh … oh crap … dammit … I … oh God Emi. I'm sorry."

"Yeah. You said that. Stop freaking, OK? Just tell me why you suddenly needed to abuse your cellular buddy like that? Did it crap out on you or something?"

Adam gave a harsh laugh and then sank onto the bed. "Why is it that just as soon as I think things are going great all hell breaks loose all over again? You get kidnapped not once. You've got crazy friends that also happen to be feds that keep making noise that I owe them a favor or two … or three. We've been running like crazy trying to finish up your physical therapy. I'm so tired of my brain being in a blender. This was supposed to be fun. Now this!"

Emi had known that being a trouble magnet caused Adam grief but it hurt to hear him say it like that. She wasn't sure how to react. He got upset when she said she was sorry but that's exactly what she wanted to say. She took two steps back and turned to go to the bathroom when she felt the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. All she needed to do on top of everything else was to make her make up run all over the place … she really would look like a clown then. She started to quietly shut the door to try and compose herself.

But she didn't even get the bathroom door completely closed before it was banging open. "I didn't mean that like it came out Emi."

"Hey, sometimes you just have to tell the truth and it's not like …"

"You don't understand. My brother called."

Emi's head shot up. "Is your dad …?"

"No … no I don't think this even has anything to do with our father. He's in trouble."

"Your dad or your brother?"

Adam snorted. "My brother. Charlie needs to be bailed out."

"How are we supposed to get to Arizona and …"

"He's here … in Vegas. I … I have to …"

Adam was acting like he did when it had been a rough day at the assisted living facility his father stayed in. "OK, explain to me why Charlie's problem is your problem again? What, you heard from him once since you left home and it was only to tell him he was dumping your father on him? And you haven't heard from him since, not even to ask how your father is doing? And this means that you owe him why?"

"I don't. Not … not really."

"Charlie is not your father Adam. You don't have to take care of him in your mother's memory."

"It's not that either." Adam took her hand, happy that she let him after the way he'd been acting, and pulled her back into the room and had her sit beside him on the bed. "He's … he's got a kid."

"Your brother? You never told me that."

"That's because the fat head never told me. Apparently he met and married some show girl here in Vegas but then she dumped his sorry but when she found out he wasn't Mr. Big Bucks but was Mr. Big Mouth."

"He said that?"

"No. Of course not. The Perfect Prince … aw, never mind. No, but I can guess the rest based on what he hasn't said. The boy is only four. He's been waiting while Charlie was being questioned. He's lucky they didn't call social services. And Charlie says they will if … if …"

"Adam?"

"He said the kid's name is Charles Adam Ross."

Emi knew right then that Adam couldn't walk away. He was already a sucker for kids. One of those giant, everlasting suckers kids would give their right arm to have. And she couldn't walk away from Adam. Family stuff absolutely tore him to pieces and Emi had a bad feeling that what Charlie wanted from Adam wasn't really based on brotherly love.

The feeling in my gut wouldn't go away, as it kept eating away at me from the inside out. I knew who this guy was, hell I even remembered the case! The same suspect was accused of the robbing of a convenience store. He seemed to be the prime suspect at the time but was later cleared by a girl validating his alibi. To be honest, I never thought that a hooker's validation is worth anything, but I have to follow the evidence, not my heart.

I was sitting at a computer, glaring at the screen as if the guy's name would magically pop up onto it. As always, my mind started getting sidetracked onto other things. The thought of Charlie and the Chocolate factory came into my head for some odd reason. Out of all the movies in the world, that's what pops up, really? Then, it came to me. His name is Charlie! Ha, take that mind! God, I need to get out more often.

Without another thought, I was able to look up all of my previous cases. Then, by typing 'Charlie' into the keyword bar, I got something. When I clicked on the results the names Charlie Ross came up. Turns out he was in his mid-thirties and has had plenty of scrapes with the law in the past. Amazingly enough, he's managed to not get charged on every single one of them. His charges just turned into major fines, which equaled out to be well over 75,000 dollars. How did he manage that is what I want to know! Just to double check, I looked at the picture I apparently had on record. It matched the smug face belonging to the guy that sat in the interrogation room. He ever had the same chilling shade of blue eyes in the picture.

The curious side of me got the better, and I looked at known relatives. As I scrolled down to where the family was listed, and briefly saw that he had a four-year-old son with the same name. Poor kid, having a father always being brought to jail. Shaking my head, I continued to scroll until I reached where the family was listed. I saw that there was his father Charles, his sister Charlene and, of course, his son Charles. Man, they sure do like the name Charles/Charlie huh? His one brother, though, his name was Adam. When I checked where they currently lived, is showed New York. This is the crime scene investigator brother! He called him to get him out of jail!

When I noticed a cell number on record for Adam, I debated calling. He should know it's not looking too good for his brother, and that it would be a waste to bail him again, it goes against my job. I can't go and getting involved with the suspects case, and make sure he doesn't leave. The internal battle in my head went on for several minutes before calling him won out. At this point, I don't care about my job. Being a good person is better than that.

I made sure no one was looking before I pulled out my cell and dialed Adam's number. It rang for a minute or so before it went to voicemail. All right, I didn't want to go the voicemail route but I guess I have no choice. When the beep went off, notifying me I could start my message, I took a breath.

"Mr. Ross, Adam if I may? Hello, I'm Bridget Graves, I'm the lead CSI on your brother Charlie's case," Well, awkward beginning or what? "I figure you've already gotten the call from him, asking you to bail him out? I shouldn't be saying this.." I took a breath before continuing. "but I'm advising you to not bail your brother out. At the moment, the cards point to him and as a fellow CSI you know I can't ignore the facts. Take your time in making a decision, and get back to me. In the meantime, I will make sure your nephew is taken care off." Without anything else to say, I quickly hung up the phone. Now I just pray that he hasn't already gotten the money together.


	3. Chapter 3

Adam was pacing and it was just about to drive Emi crazy. Usually it was Adam having to help Emi break an OCD cycle but now it looked like it was her turn to help him.

"Adam."

"Huh?"

"That police officer said to give her a call."

"I need to know what I'm going to say to her first."

"You're a cop too."

Adam finally stumbled to a stop. "I am not a cop Emi. I'm a CSI … and just a lab tech CSI at that."

Getting concerned that Adam was so quickly losing his self-confidence just with one call from his brother Emi told him, "You are not just anything of the sort Adam Ross. You. Are. Amazing. And I am not going to let you forget that. Is it really the situation that is bothering you or is it your brother specifically?"

Adam took two more steps, as if he was going to start pacing again, then reversed course and sat in the chair while pulling Emi into his lap. "Let me hold you? I'll try not and muss you up."

"Oh Honey … you can muss me up all you want," Emi said trying to blow a ticklish breath into his ear.

Adam jumped in surprise and then said, "OK, enough of that. I don't need you to distract me to bring me back down to planet Earth."

Making a pouty face and playing with his chest hair that showed where he hadn't completely buttoned his shirt Emi told him, "Oh phooey. And here I thought I was going to get a chance to have my wicked way with you."

Adam gave a high and slightly panicked laugh. "Emi, seriously … please behave. I'm having a hard enough time thinking as it is."

Emi toned it back down but only because she was sure that Adam was back in the correct dimension. "Oh fine. Be Mr. Responsible." But as she said it Adam understood she was just playing with him and accepted that he needed her to be more serious.

Contritely Adam told Emi, "Babe, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I … I … didn't mean to take …"

Emi rolled her eyes. "Relax. All my toes constantly look like prunes because I park my feet in my mouth so often. You doing it every once in a while just means I don't have to feel like a complete jerk. Now stop worrying it to death. If I'd been using my head for something other than a place to park my braid I would have known you didn't mean it the way it came out."

"Didn't mean it at all regardless of the way it came out. This is my brother's doing, not yours."

"So it is your brother that has you bent and not the fact that someone in your family called needing bail money?"

Adam sighed. "How much have I told you about Charlie?"

"Not much. Basically I got the impression that your father thought of him as the perfect son and that neither man ever took the time to understand you and give you credit for being just as good at doing what you do as they are … were … whatever … at what they did. Speaking of, what does your brother do?"

"Absolutely no clue. When I left home he was working in sales … insurance. He was making decent money at it too and Dad was always riding me for not wanting to do the same thing. Said it was stupid for me to go into debt to get a college degree I'd never be able to use 'cause even if I managed to get through college no one with any sense would hire me."

Emi gave a very unladlylike snort and followed it with a rather indelicate suggestion concerning the intelligence of the other men in Adam's family. Adam laughed guiltily. "Er … please don't say that to Charlie."

"Has a fragile ego does he?" Emi asked thinking up even more creative descriptions.

"Emi …"

Capitulating even though she would have like to have told Adam's brother what she thought of him Emi said, "Oh fine. I really don't want to make things worse but honestly Adam, I begin to wonder if you weren't left by the fairies under a cabbage leaf for your mother to find and have as consolation for all of the other trouble she had. You have any idea what this brother of yours does for a living these days?"

Adam blushed at Emi's support and pulled her closer forgetting all about being careful not to "muss her up." After a moment he said, "From what I've been able to piece together from Dad's wandering mind he seemed to travel a lot but what he did while he was traveling isn't clear. I'm not even sure Dad knew with absolute certainty. These days Dad barely talks about anything except the things he and Uncle Brian did when they were kids … he barely even mentions Mom anymore. The staff say the drugs aren't slowing the deterioration down anymore. But when he used to talk about Charlie … I think Dad must have lent him a stake in some kind of business."

"Why do you say that?"

Adam sighed, "Actually I'm hoping that is what it was because otherwise Charlie was …" Adam looked concerned. "It took me a while to untangle Dad's financial stuff. He's got his pension left and a little money in a savings account, and his social security but that goes to pay what his insurance doesn't cover. I know Mom had life insurance because Charlene told me that's what they used to pay for the funeral and burial and to pay off the house."

Emi asked, "Not that it is any of my business but what happened to the money from the sale of the house?"

"Some went to buy the condo in that senior community Dad lived in out in Phoenix before Charlie moved him out here. Some went for medical care and medicines. What was put into the condo was lost because he barely sold it for what he paid for it. Beyond that, no clue. None. It all came out of his bank accounts in dribs and drabs of cash. That senior community is who called Adult Protective Services about Dad's behavior. The court appointed a guardian ad litem and that's when Charlie said he found out there was something really wrong with Dad, that it wasn't just old age and general forgetfulness. He tried to deal with it but he'd had enough and then … you know the rest."

"Hmmm. I wonder if we do."

"Huh?"

"We only have Charlie's word for some of it."

"No, you don't understand. Charlie and Dad were like two peas in a pod … really tight. They did a lot together. I mean sure, Dad knocked him around some but mostly they both then blamed that on me. Once Charlie started playing sports in middle school they really started getting along."

"That was while you were a kid. After you left home I wonder what their adult relationship was like. But either way that's water under the bridge. The question is what do you want to do right now?"

"Detective Graves thinks I shouldn't bail him out."

"Did she give a good reason?"

Adam made another face. "Technically she shouldn't really be talking to me at all much less suggesting I not bail him out."

"Big whoop. She's showing you enough respect to give you a call as a colleague then don't worry about the rest. What do you want?"

"I need to talk to Detective Graves directly … and … and …"

"And we need to decide what to do about your nephew."

"Wow."

"Wow what?"

"I'm an uncle."

"Er … Lucy calls you Uncle Adam."

"Yeah. But I mean … I'm a real uncle."

"You're already a real uncle. Even Luke knows who you are and holds out his hand to you."

"That's cause he knows I carry crackers in my pocket."

Emi giggled. "I know, that kid is a tank. He'll eat just about anything you feed him. Seriously though, Lindsey and Danny have you down as family at the kids' daycare. That's gotta say something."

Adam relaxed and then slowly smiled. Then he shook his head and became more serious. "I'm sorry Babe. I wanted to take you to dinner tonight."

"Will you stop worrying that to death already? We've got sandwiches. There will probably be those weird canapes and hors d'oeuvre things at that meet and greet. Hopefully they'll have something non-alcoholic to drink besides water but whatever. We'll stay the minimum and then scoot over to wherever we need to be. Just find out from that Detective Graves."

"So you don't mind … ?"

"Will you just call already? And Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Taking care of a little boy wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to happen. It would give me something to do while you go to all those meetings and stuff."

"You … you sure you don't mind?"

"Do you need a little … um … convincing?"

"Whoa. No. Er. We'll wind up late and I won't be able to walk straight and I'm trying to make a good impression. It would be really cool to get to beta test that equipment."

Emi tried to look sad but couldn't quite pull it off and started giggling. Adam ask suspiciously, "What?"

"Good thing my ego isn't fragile or I might be upset at being turned down in favor of some new techy thingamajig."

"Hmmm. Give me a rain check? 'Cause … you know … I'll take one for the team."

"Oh you!" Emi told him still giggling. "Make the call so we can get out of here before I ravish you or something equally as wicked."

She walked into the bathroom leaving Adam to silently curse the brother that had barely had time for him his entire life. "You would have to call and spoil our first night in town. I swear Charlie, I'm not going to let you ruin the rest of this trip. I have plans Man."


	4. Chapter 4

It was an hour and a half before Adam Ross actually got back to me. All he said in one rushed breath was, "I'll be there as soon as possible." before hanging up. Well, believe it or not, I've had shorter conversations than that. In that time, I had busied myself with paperwork from Charlie's case. As I scribbled down the events that had taken place, one of the officer's popped his head into the room I was occupying.

"Ms. Graves? You told us to tell you when Charlie's son got here." That's right, I completely forgot about him being brought here. The officer left before I could get another word out. I promised Adam I'd look after his nephew til he got here, and I intend to keep that promise. Besides, he's five years old I think? How bad could it really be? Setting my paperwork aside on the desk, I stood up and pushed my hair away from my face. I wasted no time making my way towards the lobby of the PD. When I got there, it didn't take long for me to spot the little boy.

He was the one innocent thing in the room, almost as if he was there to counteract all the bad in here. As I got a closer look at the boy, I started to realize the striking resemblance between him and his father. The boy's eyes were the same chilling shade of blue, but somehow they seemed completely different from Charlie's. They also shared the same shade of brown hair. As I took in the sight of him, my heart just completely melted. What is it with little kids and turning most of the woman into jelly?

Cautiously, I began to approach the little guy, not sure of what to say. I got up in front of him before the boy took any notice of me. When he did finally see me, the biggest smile lit up his face.

"Are you with my Daddy?" Wow, for a little kid he's got a really good vocabulary. I didn't want to be the one to break the news to the little guy so I plastered a smile on my face, which wasn't totally fake.

"Sort of. My name's Bridget, what's your's little guy?"

"My name's Charlie, just like Daddy." You know, I can't say I'm totally surprised that his name's Charlie. It seems that the creativity for names went as far as Adam, then stopped in it's tracks.

"Well, Charlie. A few of my friends are having a chat with your dad. Your uncle's coming to get you, in mean time want to hang with me?" I tried speaking so a five-year-old could understand. I may love little kids, but talking to them was always Nic-, never mind. I stood up, and reached my hand out to Charlie and he excitedly took it.

"I have an uncle?" The little boy looked up at me. Charlie never told his son that he had an uncle, how could you even deprive a little kid of something like that? I guess things with Adam and his brother ran deeper than I thought.

"Of course, you do silly!" I made sure the smile stayed on my face as Charlie and I walked hand in hand til we got to a break/conference room. As he sat down in the chair, I made my way over to the fridge that was tucked away into the corner of the room.

"Want a juice box, Charlie?" When he heard the words 'juice box', his eyes lit up as he eagerly nodded. All I did was chuckle as I poked the straw into the juice box and handed it to him. I wasn't sure of what to do next, so I sat across from the kid as he joyously sipped at the juice box. Then the eagerness kicked up in Charlie and he started blabbing about Batman being his favorite superhero and why that is. I have to admit, I enjoy listening to this guy just talk and talk about anything. The next hour seemed to pass with ease as we easily talked to each other. We didn't stop until I had a message on my phone saying 'the uncle was here to see you and Charlie, plus he brought a girl.' I shot back a hasty reply of 'I'd be there as soon as I could' before turning back towards Charlie.

"Ready to see your uncle?" A somewhat guarded look appeared in boy's eyes, but I'm almost positive he didn't know. Then in typical five-year-old fashion, she responded loud and proud.

"Yes!" Again, I couldn't help but chuckle as I got up from the table to meet Charlie at the door. It took everything I had to stop the kid from eagerly running out the door. We made our way back to the lobby, but I saw no sign of Adam. The only person I saw was a woman standing at the counter.

This woman had long brown hair though it wasn't necessarily brown, though. It was in between brown and black, and it was curled up around on top of her head in a crown-like braid. When she turned her face slightly, I saw that her face was makeup-free. Finally, I'm not the only girl in the world that doesn't wear that crap! Her thin body wasn't anything special, but her t-shirt and jeans managed to extenuate her figure quite nicely. It seems like she doesn't have any issues with her body. Can I take lessons from her?

Shaking my mind from its stupor, I cleared my throat and spoke up in order to catch the woman's attention. "I assume you're the woman that came with Adam Ross?" When I spoke up, she turned her head around.

"Yeah, him and I are.. together." The slightest trace of blush appeared on her cheeks before she continued. "He got pulled away by one of the officers, I said I'd be more than happy to watch him til he get's done. I'm sorry, most people call me Emi. You are?"

"It's uh.. Bridget Graves, the lead CSI on Charlie's case." I heard a snicker come from Emi's direction when she heard my last name. Of course, people always have that reaction. Someone with the last name Graves working as a CSI, it's amusing but come on! I'm never going to be able to live the name down!

"I'm sorry.. anyways is that Charlie?" She points her head in the direction of the little boy, who was now hiding behind one of the walls. Just as I open my mouth to try and encourage the boy to come out, the loud sound of footsteps comes into the room.

"Sorry that I had to leave you Emi." I heard the sound of lips connecting with skin before he spoke again. "Take it your Detective Graves?" I'm just going to take a wild guess and say Adam's in the room. Well then, things just got more interesting.


	5. Chapter 5

Adam's next word were, "Is Charlie okay?"

Bridget Graves nodded … and whoa, didn't Emi love the woman's name … "Your brother is …"

Adam shook his head. "Not Charlie … I mean Little Charlie … my … wow … my nephew. I've got a nephew. I mean obviously or I wouldn't be here. Uh … that's … not exactly what …" Adam stopped talking when Bridget just stood there blinking at him. Then he sighed and said, "Sorry. I … uh …"

Emi had been admiring the classic lines of the woman's face but stopped when she realized Adam was blushing and embarrassed. She stepped in and said, "Adam was a little … er … shocked. He wasn't aware that his brother had a son. I wasn't either of course but the … um … family dynamics is … complicated."

"Yeah, about that," Bridget said. "Adam we need to get you cleared through Child Protective Services."

"Sure. What do we need to do?"

From the corner of her eye, Emi noticed a mature Hispanic woman approaching them and suddenly shouts, "Miss Armitage?!"

The woman stops, her mouth forming a perfect "O". Then her face lights up and she spreads her arms wide and Emi practically runs into them. During their exuberant greeting, Emi winds up with a lot of red lipstick on her cheeks but doesn't seem to mind in the least.

Adam couldn't help but smile. Emi was obviously happy and then the name registers. "Babe? By Armitage, you mean Professor Armitage's sister? The one that was your case worker?"

Emi is giggling and Maria Armitage is smiling. Emi calms down enough to say, "Yes! Er … I mean yes. Sorry, forgetting to use the indoor voice here." Then she spots a pair of blue eyes that remind her of the ones she wakes up to every morning. "Oh, Adam. Look."

"What? I …" Adam becomes momentarily speechless before going down on one knee and saying, "Hi."

The little boy peeks around the corner of the cubicle and stares at the man. "Are you my uncle?"

"Yeah little man, that's what they tell me. Wow … you're just … wow."

The little boy tilts his head like a curious bird before cautiously stepping out. "Do you know where Daddy is?"

"Uh …" Adam doesn't know how to respond.

But Emi does. "Your father has some business to take care of. Grown up stuff."

The little boy gave a worried frown. "Oh."

Adam bent close to pat Little Charlie's shoulder and then the four adults got quiet when the little boy flinched. Adam immediately stands up and backs away. The look on his face was a little forbidding and the poor boy doesn't understand that it isn't directed at him. Emi, sensing the problem, bends down. "Charlie? It's all right. Your Uncle Adam isn't upset with you, he's upset that he scared you. He's nervous and wanting to do everything the right way and now he's worried he messed up."

The little boy lifted his eyes and looked at Adam again and whatever he saw there caused him to relax a little. The little boy whispered dejectedly, "Sorry. I didn't mean to be bad. Daddy will be mad."

Adam, trying as hard as he ever has to control his emotions, immediately bends down again but doesn't approach any closer so the boy doesn't feel crowded. "Listen to me Charlie, you don't have anything to be sorry about. I should be the one apologizing; I shouldn't have moved so fast. I'll try and remember not to do it again. I didn't mean to scare you. OK? Do you understand?"

Charlie looks at Adam for a moment then takes a step closer and reaches out his hand and with just one finger touches his uncle's beard. "Daddy said grown men are supposed to shave."

Rather than make an issue of it Adam replied, "Some grown men do and some don't. I have to trim my beard but I don't shave it."

"Does it … does it tickle?"

Emi smiled and let the two get to know each other, even if it was just cautiously. Including Detective Graves in her query, she asked her former caseworker, "What do we need to do?"

"You'll vouch for Mr. Adam Ross?"

"With my life," Emi said with absolute conviction.

"Then I just need your contact information where you are staying here in Vegas."

Bridget caught off guard that the young couple seemed to be leapfrogging through a system that normally moves at a snail's pace said, "That … was fast."

Maria Armitage nodded. "I know all I need to know about Emerald … it doesn't hurt that my brother, a professor at NYU, is one of her references and that she herself is a well-known doctor of forensic science and artist …"

Emi made a face. "Aw …"

Maria shook her head. "Don't be so bashful young lady. And I understand that Adam is …"

Bridget looked on and thought that there was definitely a story there but as long as it didn't get in the way of the case she wasn't inclined to worry about it. Each to his own … stay out of my business and I'll stay out of yours so long as your business doesn't mean I have to get involved professionally. But being a doctor … MD or Ph.D. s she wondered … didn't look like it was hurting anything. Bridget was splitting her attention between the two women and the man and the boy. True to his word she noticed that he was letting the little the boy make all of the moves. That was interesting.

Emi said quietly, "Adam, need your license for Miss Armitage to make a copy of."

Adam turned to her and said, "He hasn't eaten Emi, just had a juice box."

"We can stop at that market on the way back to the hotel. Little boys need nutritional stuff, not cra … uh … not crud from a fast food place." She turns to the other two women and whispers, "Does he have a bag or anything? Clothes? Toys?"

Despite her best efforts, Little Charlie had overheard. "Daddy says toys are for babies. I'm not a baby." But you could hear the longing in his voice.

Adam had to stand back up. Emi could see he was shaking. One of the reasons Adam has so few childhood mementos was because of how strict his father was about "toys" and things of that nature. She was concerned that what he was hearing from his nephew was bringing back bad memories.

Emi said, "You're certainly not a baby. You've been behaving very, very well. I think toys are going to have been one of those things that … hmmm …"

"Just like with beards?"

Emi was surprised at the child's insight and gave him a slow but brilliant smile. "Exactly." Emi looked around like she was checking to see if anyone was listening then leaned over and said, "Tell you a secret. Your Uncle Adam has toys. He loves to play games and he likes to tinker."

"Tinker?"

"Build stuff just not with wood and nails but with computer stuff."

"Wow. Big people have toys?"

"Yep."

"OK … but maybe you better not tell Daddy that," he said worriedly. "He'll … he'll get angry at Unca Adam. Bad things happen when Daddy gets angry."

Adam finally had himself under control and told Little Charlie, "Don't you worry about your father. If there is a problem I'll … explain things to him. Understand? I'm not going to let him get angry at you."

The three women all sighed when Little Charlie suddenly ran to Adam and burrowed into his arms.


	6. Chapter 6

Watching the exchange between Emi and little Charlie really made my heart warm up at the sight of it. Even though it was the first time EMi had probably seen him, she acted naturally. Almost like she's done this sort of thing before. I put that thought in the back of my mind as I watched Charlie release his hold on Adam, then walk over to the social worker. With the little kid's attention now fully on the social worker I turned towards Adam, who was splitting his attention between Emi and Charlie.

I cleared my throat "Mr. Ross..." I didn't get any further than that before Adam raised a hand up.

"Please, It's Adam."

"Alright, Adam. There're some case details I would like to discuss with you, for professional reasons." I wasn't sure how to further continue that sentence, but he must have gotten the hint as he nods.

"Works for me." He turned towards Emi once again, calling out, "Watch Charlie for me would you? Grave's here has to talk to me about the case, I'll be back." He shot her a warm smile before allowing me to lead him towards an office of sorts. Once there, I wasted no time getting down to the basics.

"As you know, your brother was 'allegedly' caught skimming from a poker table." Even though I'm sure Adam has heard this before, he shakes his head as he mutters a curse word under his breath before picking up his voice.

"This is the second time I've heard this today and it still rocks my brain a little bit." I tilted my head at his sentence.

"What do you mean?"

"Growing up he was my father's favorite, could never do anything wrong. It's just hard to believe ya know?" All I did was nod because I knew what it was like but I couldn't insert my personal opinion on the issue.

"You know as well as I do, being a CSI, that sometimes people just fall off the tracks." I sighed before continuing on. "I'm going to be honest, there was an ulterior motive for calling you here." Adam raised an eyebrow towards my direction.

Some of Adam's natural suspicion began to show. "That would be?"

"Well, I need your help on the case. We're short-staffed as it is, many of our CSI's are on vacations or conferences. We just lost one not too long ago to a lab out in San Diego." I coughed nervously, hoping Adam hadn't caught the crack in my voice. "The camera's happened to 'malfunction' during the crime of the crime." I heard Adam snort.

"Yeah, Sure..."

Bridget smiled a little cynically. "That's what I thought too, but I can't stop that. Anyways, we need a guy doing the technical side of things, reconstructing the scene with the statements and data we've collected. We also may need you to help track down a guy." He opened his mouth to ask a question, but I interrupted him. "You'll find out about that later. Will you help us, well, me out here? If there's an issue with your boss not agreeing, I'd be more than happy to give him a call and explain the situation." I watched as Adam seemed to ponder over this situation in his head for quite some time before responding.

"I'll do it, how's your equipment here?"

"That's the problem." Then I went to go on and explain the situation we were having, that most of it was outdated and the lab wasn't going to pay for the upgrades. His eyes seemed to lower themselves for a slight second before the brightness returned and a smirk fell on his face.

"I have an Idea."

# # # # # # # # #

Emi itched to run her fingers through Charlie's hair. And that's when she spotted it. It wasn't very noticeable, like it had been done recently, but still, kids … and their hair … grow fast.

"Charlie? Can I ask you something?"

The little boy simply stood passively and shrugged. "Who … er … washes your hair?"

"Huh?"

"Welllll … Do people put stuff in your hair?"

The little boy seemed to finally understand Emi's question. "You mean you can see the goop. Daddy said I was due another dose."

"Honey, why … I mean … ok, I gotta say here that I don't always mean to hurt people's feelings but something I do because things sorta fall out of my mouth. And I also know people underestimate how much kids understand. So, I need you to just understand I'm not out to hurt your feelings but I gotta ask … why is your father dying your hair?"

"'Cause he says he doesn't like my hair and since he's the daddy he can change me."

"Er … Do you know what color your hair is under the … er … goop?"

Little Charlie shrugged. "A stupid color I guess. Daddy doesn't like it so he's always put the goop on it. And my eyebrows. Sometimes the stuff gets in my eyes and burns."

Emi's artistic eye began to suspect exactly what color the boy's hair was beneath what he called "the goop." She looked over at Miss Armitage who, out of both professional responsibility and personal curiosity, was watching Emi's handling of the young boy.

Maria Armitage could hear Emi's thoughts as if she had said them aloud. The girl had always seemed to be able to communicate best when she said nothing at all. And Maria knew immediately that Emi wanted the little boy, and not just temporarily. In that moment, based on what she'd seen and heard, Maria agreed with her. The problem was that wasn't how CPS was set up. Their goal was to keep families intact, not simply rush in and take children without allowing the parents to have due process. It was far from a perfect system … cracks abounded in it … but, when it was applied properly, it was the best that allowed both the parent and child to have balanced legal rights.

"Emerald …"

Emi sighed. "I know. But … but I have a feeling."

"And the boy's uncle?"

"I'll … er … feel him out. There are some dynamics … history … his father …" It was hard to talk in front of Charlie without revealing too much.

A good example of this was when Charlie said, "I'm not supposed to see Grandfather. I make him sick."

Emi bent back down on the little boy's level and gently asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's the goop. Daddy says that the way I look made Grandfather sick every time he saw me. And then he just decided not to see me anymore and when he did he got made and said I didn't belong."

Emi tried not to let her shock show. "Oh Honey, your grandfather … well … yes, he's sick but you didn't make him sick. He has an illness. It's called Alzheimer's, and … it's complicated but basically your grandfather's brain started misfiring and doesn't work like it should anymore."

"Is he in the hospital?" Little Charlie asked worried. "Daddy needs to know."

"Your father does know. He took him to NYC … that's where your Uncle Adam and I live … and now your Uncle Adam makes sure he gets the help he needs. Your grandfather stays at this place called an assisted living facility. He means that even though his brain misfires, there's someone always there to make sure he doesn't get hurt or wander off. Your Uncle Adam goes to visit him and your grandfather doesn't remember him … or thinks he's someone else. He's not doing it on purpose, it's because his brain just doesn't work right anymore."

The little boy tried to take it in but it was so counter to what he'd always been told up to that point that it was obvious he didn't know what to believe. Emi told him, "Don't worry about it right now. As soon as your uncle …"

Adam's timing was perfect. "Hey! I hope I wasn't too long."

Emi shook her head and smiled but Adam could see something behind the smile and knew they needed to speak privately. He then turned to the Miss Armitage and asked excitedly, "What else do you need? Um … references? I can do that. Or … uh …"

Maria Armitage smiled and sensed just what drew Emi to this man … and now the little boy. She smiled and told him, "Emi took care of it. You've been granted temporary custody of your nephew." She then drew him away a few feet. "I need to caution you Mr. Ross … Emi has already become extremely attached to the boy. You know about her daughter."

"Yeah," Adam sighed. "She was an adorable kid. I know … er … all of it."

Maria nodded. "Emi said you did and that's good. But, what you have to understand is that it is my job to apply family court law. My personal feelings aren't supposed to come into it."

Adam looked over at Emi who looked completely smitten. He felt a little sad, but also protective. "You're saying that it's your job to keep my brother and his kid together, not tear them apart."

"Yes, it is. However, given the situation we'll need to remain flexible. From court records I've discovered that your brother had full custody of his son and that the mother's parental rights were voided. I'll need to dig a little deeper to find out the full circumstances but for now I can say that your side of the family is the only one involved. Is there anyone else that could object to you having custody of Charlie?"

"My father might object but he …"

"Emi explained."

Relieved that that was one thing he wouldn't have to verbalize Adam continued, "My Uncle Brian is deceased several years ago and he didn't marry or have kids so that's out. The only other relative would be my sister but I haven't heard from Charlene since my mother died and that was back when I was a freshman in college. Er … our biological family isn't … isn't close."

"Emi explained that as well." She noted that Adam looked ashamed and apologetic, and it wasn't an act. "Don't worry Mr. Ross … Adam … families come in all shapes and sizes … and health. Unfortunately abuse is a very difficult cycle to break but Emi said that you and she both had gotten counseling and live very productive lives. That is a mark in your favor. So, we'll be … cautious … but no more so than with any other similar case."

Adam was absurdly relieved. "So … we can really … you know … take him with us?"

"After signing some paperwork … yes."

Adam's smile was something to behold and Maria thought to herself, "Oh yes, I can most definitely see Emerald's attraction."


	7. Chapter 7

Paperwork signed Adam and Emi walked out of the police station. The area was crowded and Adam, without conscious, though, picked up the little boy in one arm so he wouldn't get trampled and used the other hand to pull Emi close. "Man, this is nearly as bad as getting off the subway in Manhattan during rush hour. What gives?"

Bridget Graves suddenly popped up beside them. "Thought I'd give you a lift … assuming you're interested."

Adam readily accepted though Emi found it surprising that an official vehicle would be used for personal reasons. At least, until Adam commented, "I'll get Emi and Charlie here up to the hotel room … gotta see if we can get a pullout or cot up there … and then we can go over to the conference room. There's a guy there you need to meet. His name is … er …"

"Which one?" Emi asked, concentrating on staying on her feet in the crowd.

"The one that I was talking to you when that bonehead cornered you and asked if you were a comic con character that he met last year."

"Oh," Emi said in disgust, remembering not liking the fact that the guy had thought she was someone that had been dressed as an Ewok. "The guy you were talking to was Marcus … didn't catch a last name."

"Yeah … Marcus, that's it. Anyway, he's got this company and maybe we can talk him into a little free publicity for his equipment."

Bridget was less enthusiastic. "Nothing comes free. And frankly, I don't have the budget for …"

Adam shrugged. "Don't ask, you don't get. He'd be my first choice but there are others there at the conference that might be more amendable. And I'll tell him that."

Emi chuckled. "Just let Adam do his thing. He's surprisingly good at making deals. I think it's the Irish in him."

Adam used the accent he'd developed when he had been part of a local theater group and in no time he had little Charlie giggling so he continued to play it up. Soon they arrived at Bridget's vehicle and then it was a short drive back to the Aria. Bridget knew all the back streets to avoid getting caught in the traffic on The Strip. From there Adam got Emi and Charlie settled in their hotel room, Emi said she'd take care of getting an extra bed and getting Charlie fed, and Adam and Bridget headed to the conference area.

# # # # # # # #

Despite how late it was getting, thing were still in full swing and quite rowdy when we pulled up. Tech conferences must be more popular than I thought they were. As the two of climbed out of the vehicle, Adam was the first to speak.

"I'll do most of the talking." Before he could even finish his sentence, I butted in.

"Let me guess, something along the lines of 'I know how these tech guys think?'" I didn't get a response, but I saw the smile grow on Adam's face, giving me the indication that I had made the right assumption. When we approached the conference area, the loud computerised type music became more apparent. Damn, did no one appreciate their ear drums in here?

The inside of the conference area was wall-to-wall lined with booths of all sizes. Tall, almost pillar-like signs with various companies logo's and name's were scattered throughout the giant room. Everything at each of the booth's looked highly technology based, then again why wouldn't it be, it's a tech conference! I think I need to get out more. Groups of people were scattered about the area, most of them either in their 20's or 30's.

"Look for the company Webber's Tech, that's Marcus's company." He had to raise his voice several volumes in order for me to hear him. Wow, a technology company with the word tech in it. I see the creativity level in that company is high. Shaking my head, I attempted to read over everyone's head to look at who's occupying the booths. The Technological Advances, nope that's not it. Let's Get Techy, not even close. The Mythical Technology, oh god. Among all the odd, and just plain weird name's I found the sign for Webber's Tech.

His logo was a simple blue cloud, which I assume represented the digital 'cloud'. The cloud was outlined in what I imagined being a dark blue USB cord being unplugged at one end. Webber's Tech was written in simple black text underneath it. There's something finally normal there, thank god!

"I found it!" I called out in the general direction of Adam. He whipped around to look at the booth, then pushed through the crowd that had formed between us to finally reach me. We both began making our way towards the Webber's Tech booth, which had several complicated machines placed around it. I glanced over at Adam, who I could tell was using all of his willpower to not geek out over it.

He had yet to notice us standing there, but there was a guy standing there. I'm guessing he's roughly my age, slightly older possibly. Just by looking at him, I could tell he was pushing six feet, but he wasn't quite there. The guy's hair was short until halfway up each side, then it go longer. Besides that part, his hair looked as if that's how he woke up in the morning and didn't bother to fix it. The rest of his 'outfit' was basic; worn blue jeans, a red plaid button down over a white shirt, grey sneakers, a black modern looking glasses. I can't believe I just completely assessed the way he looks. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a CSI.

Adam confidently stepped up to the man with me slightly trailing behind him. "I'm sorry, excuse me but Marcus?" The man who I now know as Marcus picked his head up. His brown eyes held a friendly gaze towards Adam as he opened his mouth.

"Not to be rude, but you are?" Marcus' slightly deep voice questioned Adam with a brown eyebrow raised.

"It's Adam Ross, we met at the tech conference in New York a few months back?" Marcus' eyes widened as he must have no remember who he was. Once it hit him, he instantly stuck out a hand for Adam to shake, which he accepted.

"What are you doing out here man?" He asked Adam, still not noticing that I was standing slightly behind him.

"To attend the conference, at least, I'm still hoping. I got side tracked with family, issues when Ms. Graves here called me up and said she needed my help." Marcus finally laid eyes on me, and he gave me a smile. For some reason, he quickly assessed my face before speaking.

"Wow, you look identical to the Black Canary!" What? Am I missing something, cause what in god's name is the Black Canary? Before I could even open my mouth to speak, Marcus beat me to the punch. "Wow, that was uncool. Sorry, let me try that again. Marcus Webber, pleasure to meet you, Ms. Graves." He gave me a friendly smile as he stuck out his hand just like he had done with Adam. I accepted it as well, but more cautiously.

"It's Bridget."

"Bridget it is then." He then turned his eyes back onto to Adam. "What brings the two of you here?" With a sigh, Adam explained to Marcus as vaguely as he could the situation. Surprisingly, he gave him minimal details. Marcus nodded his head as Adam went on, glancing at me briefly.

"In order to further expand this case, we need updated technology, which means the work; state-of-the-art tracking systems, scene simulation. the works." Adam finished off before looking at me to continue.

"The thing is, we don't much of a budget, at all." I sighed, knowing that I would have to work out some sort of deal with this guy. "Is there any chance we can work out some sort of deal?" Marcus seemed to process all the information we had given him for a few moments. I swear I could visibly see him weighing the pro's and con's in his head. After awhile, Marcus spoke.

"No, there doesn't need to be any sort of deal. I'll let you guys use the equipment I've got." I almost sighed in relief, then he started talking again. "I'll teach Adam how to run it since he is helping you out. All I want is to work alongside him. I've always wanted to be a crime fighter." A smile lit up Marcus' face, then he shook his head as he made some sort of face.

Adam and I glanced at each other, silently asking each other is this what we wanted? I knew that I had no other choice, we didn't get the equipment, we couldn't progress the case. Eventually, we both nodded our heads.

"Works with us," Adam spoke for the two of us. All of us didn't exchange many words after that. I gave Marcus the address of the lab when he said he'd be by with the equipment within the next couple of hours, and in turn, he gave us both of us his number. After that, we exchanged our goodbyes before proceeding to leave the conference area. The entire time we had been leaving, I thought to myself, is this what I really needed? Another outsider working this case? I knew this was my only option, as I needed this equipment.


	8. Chapter 8

Adam continued to listen and slowly relaxed. "Sure. And yeah, good talking to you too. I was going to call you and let you know in the morning because it's like kinda late o'clock your time and I didn't want to bother you at home. If it's okay with you I'll ask Emi to call Christine with the details of the nephew thing? Kinda convoluted and … er … yeah, a mess." A few other things were said and then Adam disconnected with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Adam looked at Bridget and said, "Your bosses shouldn't complain because mine just didn't. And if someone was going to have something to say it would be Mac."

"Excuse me?"

"The phone call. It was from my boss back in NYC who just got off the phone with an Agent Tom Fielding, FBI. He said your boss was probably getting a call too and Agent Fielding said he'd get clearance for me and Marcus to work with you."

"And just why would the FBI give a damn one way or the other about this case?" she asked suspiciously.

"Because Emi has interesting friends that keep an eye on her. Fielding's office was notified that someone was pulling a report on Emi and I, made a few phone calls and decided to be helpful. They're all right, just don't let 'em do you too many favors or they might start thinking you owe them."

"No kidding. Take it you owe them?"

Adam shrugged. "But that's me. I'd do it all over again if I was sure I'd get the same results." He didn't elaborate and Bridget didn't ask; there are some things in life you don't necessarily want to know. "I gotta call Emi. A courier is going to drop off a packet at the concierge desk. I hope they aren't going to ask her to work on a case out here, as it is … uh, it isn't a burden … I'm just now … er …"

"You mean the kid? You beginning to rethink it?"

"No. Definitely not. I just have never had any of my own and I keep running into … things. Like you can't just stick 'em in a room with food and water like you would a cat while you go take care of things … you have to actually make sure there's coverage to look after them. But Emi can handle it. She … er … had a daughter who … look her daughter died and Emi is a little sensitive about it. You have questions then ask me, ok?"

Which explained how Emi seemed to know how to handle little kids thought Bridget. Then it was Bridget's turn for her phone to go off. When she answered it she had to immediately pull it back from her ear. "Not so loud! He did what?!" Bridget was silent though she nodded. "Yeah and I apologize for not giving you a heads up sooner. No Ma'am, I wouldn't want a call from the feds out of the blue either. Yes, Ma'am, I'm working on the case right now."

After Bridget hung up she looked at Adam who said, "They work fast."

Rolling her eyes, Bridget said, "No kidding. You have time for us to go over a few things?"

Adam nodded but asked, "Can we do it after I check on Emi and Charlie?"

"Sure."

An elevator ride later Adam used his key card to open the hotel room to find Emi going through a manila envelope. "Whatcha got?"

Sounding mildly disgruntled she answered, "Fielding is a busybody."

"Uh …"

"Some guy in a suit just delivered this." Grumbling in an undertone, she muttered, "Looked like the freaking mafia with that suit, slicked back hair, and those glasses. It's night time for cripes sake. Better be glad he had a badge and I had someone on speed dial to check his credentials." Back to a normal tone of voice, she told Adam, "I swear that man is just such a fat … er … I mean he irritatingly is over helpful." Emi stopped what she'd originally meant to say after glancing at little Charlie who was watching cartoons on Emi's laptop that she'd signed onto the hotel's wifi with.

"What's 'this' and why does it have your tail in a knot?" Adam asked after glancing in the same direction and grinning to see that Emi was playing an old Bugs Bunny cartoon for his nephew.

Emi handed him the envelope as well as the note that had been included with it while she asked if Bridget wanted something to drink. "Let's see, we have water … then there's water … and … let me see … yes … it looks like we have some water. What'll it be?"

Bridget grinned almost unwillingly and said, "Water it is."

"Good choice. Iced or plain?"

"Ice please."

Finally, Adam looked at Emi and said, "Are you believing this?"

Emi rolled her eyes. "Like I said, overly helpful. We can send it back. With the bonus of being able to tell him where he can sh … uh … er … store it."

Thoughtfully Adam shook his head. "No. It actually makes sense; I just don't get why he threw the rest of this in. I would have done it for free."

"More than likely Fielding knows that and this is his way of being appreciative in advance since you know he's going to ask for your professional opinion on whatever gizmo whosiwhatsit you are testing out." The envelope held several gift cards and prepaid cards with more than reasonable cash balances. There were also a few tickets in there for magic shows and a couple of other kid-friendly attractions in Vegas.

Bridget cut through to the crux of the matter and asked, "Emi, have you had a chance to get any F-O-O-D? Because if you haven't this hotel has a pretty inexpensive buffet in one of its restaurants."

Emi glanced at Adam and then sighed because all of her attempts to not blow the budget were getting short-circuited. Adam grinned knowing exactly what was going through her head but nevertheless happy that he was getting his way about dinner. He walked over to Charlie and asked, "Hey Buddy, You feel like grabbing something to eat?"

"Can I have soup with my crackers?" the little boy asked like he was afraid of getting in trouble.

"Er … we're going to go grab some food and you can have anything you want. I mean if all you want is soup we'll get if for you but there will be other stuff there too."

Emi adds, "So long as you eat something nutritious. You clean your plate … or pretty close to it … and we'll see what they have for dessert."

The little boy looked at them like he wasn't prepared to believe he could have anything he wanted but he willingly put his shoes on and followed the three adults.

When they got to the floor where the restaurant with the buffet was located they could hear Techno Pop music as soon as the elevator doors opened. Emi gave the music an annoyed look and was grateful that they were walking in the opposite direction. She didn't dislike the genre, it was the volume. Bridget saw Emi's look and thought, "Well that's one thing we have in common."

Despite the hotel having fifteen different food places the restaurant where the buffet was located was a little busy. They were debating picking another one when someone swooped in behind them and ushered them forward. "Here's the rest of my party. They showed after all."

Bridget was about to ask what he was going on about when the maitre d' came forward with a big smile and said, "Of course Mr. Webber. Right this way Mr. Webber." Bridget nearly grinned again when she heard Emi mutter, "Let me kiss your butt, Mr. Webber."

In no time they were seated at a table with a view and they even brought a booster seat for little Charlie without having to be asked letting at least Emi know the place was family friendly and used to kids; not what she expected of a ritzy looking restaurant in Vegas.

After the waiter came and took their drink orders Marcus finally looks around apologetically. "Uh, sorry about the bum rush. I just get tired of eating out by myself and the investor group I was supposed to meet with was top over tail dru …. uhh …" He stopped after Emi none too gently kicked him under the table and gave him a look. "Er … they weren't in a condition to meet." He grinned at Emi and said, "You remind me of my sister. She's a mother bear too."

Emi refused to be charmed and gave him an arch look to let him know she'd be watching him for future infractions. Marcus turned to Adam gave him a grin which caused Adam to grin which caused Emi to roll her eyes and mutter, "Testosterone poisoning is contagious. I swear it's the only explanation."

Bridget surprisingly found that even without participating in the conversation she was enjoying herself just watching them. It was a relief. Between budget cuts and personnel issues, things had been fairly stressful at the lab. Then there was her own personal life … or her lack of one since Nick had taken the job in San Diego. Even though she was technically working a case she felt more relaxed than she had been in a while.

Introductions made, with all of the adults present noticing that little Charlie knew how to behave when adults were talking, they all decided to hit the buffet line before it got any later. They picked up their plates and Emi winced. "I forgot to ask if Charlie has any allergies."

Charlie piped up, "I'm not supposed to have anything red."

Adam and Bridget thought that odd but Emi knew exactly what he meant. "Oh, you have trouble getting your sitter to stay in one spot if you have red dye too?"

Charlie gave a bashful grin. "And my feet and hands. They just want to do all sorts of things that get me in trouble."

"You should have seen the kind of trouble I used to get into." Emi gave a theatrical shudder. "Wait, trust me, you don't. Do you like salad?"

Little Charlie shrugged. "Daddy says real men don't eat rabbit food."

Emi was just about to get tired of hearing what "Daddy" said. She didn't have to say anything though because Adam said, "Well that's a change. Your grandparents made sure that there was a salad at every dinner and they made sure we ate our share. Your grandfather would have been … er … not pleased if we had left even a little bit of green stuff on our plate. It's really good for you. At least, try a little bit so you can see for yourself."

It went like that all the way down the buffet line with all of the adults adding their two cents to encourage Charlie to try new things. Everyone sat and ate, the men going back for seconds, and by the time they were finished little Charlie's head was as full as his stomach and he was starting to nod off. Emi told the others that she was taking Charlie back to their hotel room but not to let that stop them from talking shop. The two men stood politely as she left and when they sat back down Adam said, "Thanks for being patient. I … I'm just not sure how much Charlie will understand." When Marcus looked curiously at Adam he explained, "Charlie is my nephew … I just found out about him. My brother … he's the one at the center of the case that Bridget asked us to work on. And, frankly, it makes things complicated. My brother and I … long story but suffice it to say that my brother Charlie and I don't have much of a relationship at all and what little is there is not good and the result of the family dynamics when we were growing up."

"Older or younger?" Marcus asked.

"Charlie is older by …." Adam briefly explained the family set up and then all three got down to business. Bridget explained what they needed. Marcus explained what his equipment and programs could do in the right hands. And Adam listened and gave additional suggestions on how to mesh Marcus' equipment and Bridget's needs to create a functioning strategy and result. Both Bridget and Marcus were impressed with Adam's ability to cut through some of the problems they thought would exist.

Bridget asked, "What exactly do you do at the NYC lab?"

"Basically, I'm a lab rat. I do more field work these days than I did when I first started but the lab is still my primary domain. I specialize in AV but I've also got a master's degree in biochemistry that comes in handy. Lately my boss … Mac Taylor … has had me expanding how we utilize technology to increase the efficiency and speed of traditional investigative techniques. The scene recreation is a good example. I'm dying to get my hands on some truly 3D and VR setups; it would let me bring the crime scene into the lab." Turning to Marcus, he said, "I'll be honest, my priority while I'm out here is to get on the beta testing list for some of the equipment the various vendors are showcasing. And you, my friend, are at the top of the 'I really want it bad' list."

Marcus chuckled. "Well you are in luck because I'm trolling for beta testers, but I need them to have the right combination of qualifications. If this test case with the Vegas precinct works out, and I don't wind up with egg on my face, I'd like to talk to you both about a little friendly exchange for publicity purposes."

Bridget thought that would be a silver ring that would keep personnel and IAB off her back about bringing in outsiders. To be honest, she wasn't sure who would be greedier to get their hands on the hypothetical equipment … Catherine, Greg, Henry, or David.

The conversation came to a natural conclusion with all three realizing they were tired and would need some sleep if they were to start early tomorrow. Marcus and Adam both had the conference to attend during the first half of the day and Bridget knew she'd need to get as much together on the case as she could so as to have it ready in the afternoon.

Adam left first, waving to the others then hurrying to catch the elevator eager to get to Emi and spend some time with her. As Bridget went to leave Marcus stopped her with a light touch on her arm. A little bashfully he said, "Thanks."

"For?"

He shrugged. "I know that this … er … look, I run a business so I know this can't be easy working with a civilian outside of your field. But … thanks. I know I sorta went geek on you at first, probably didn't make the best impression with the stupid Black Canary remark, but god's truth you do look exactly like the Canary."

Reluctantly Bridget asked, "Who's this Black Canary character and why would I remind you of him?"

"Her. Black Canary is a comic book heroine … one of my favs. She first appeared … let's just say she's a classic character that doesn't get as much play as she deserves in my opinion. You have the same look … hair, face, build … the whole package. And then you're a cop on top of it."

"CSI, not a cop."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Right. But back to business," he said while Bridget noticed the slight pink tinge that appeared on his cheeks and tips of his ears making her want to grin. "I hope it isn't too much of an imposition for me to ride along on this case. I'll mind my p's and q's and stay in the car or office when you say … but the rest of it … I really want to see how well my equipment performs in the field."

Bridget nodded. "OK, but you're going to have to follow my lead. Gotta keep my bosses happy and we can't afford to give the sharks anymore to chew on than they already do."

"Sharks?"

"Lawyers. The evidence we present needs to be clean and solid."

"Oh. Sure. I get it. So … look … maybe tomorrow … after work … you'll … uh … you'll let me take you to dinner?"

"Don't you have some kind of conference gig going? What about those investors?"

Marcus sensed it was time to back off, that he might have moved too fast. "It was just a thought. I realize you have a job to do," he said, trying to play it cool. "So anyway … see you tomorrow."

Bridget nodded refusing to let him see that he'd made her uncomfortable. On the way to her vehicle, she shook her head. Things hadn't always been easy with Nick but they'd gotten comfortable. Maybe too comfortable. Now here she was faced by yet another guy trying to get beyond her walls. The others were easier to blow off but this Marcus, he was interesting and more so for being very different – at least at first meeting – than Nick had been. Marcus looked like a hipster but not of the obnoxious, metrosexual variety, thank god. There was nothing quite as annoying as a man that wore more makeup than she did and spent more money on hair products in a month than she did in a year.


End file.
